Miniature bowling alley



1950 J. A. CROWLEY MINIATURE BOWLING ALLEY Filed Jan. 27, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Joseph A. Crowley B) and Wave; Em

1950 J. A. CROWLEY 2,535,724

MINIATURE BOWLING ALLEY Filed Jan. 27, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.

3 x 60 1 j l|||H|l= 5 M! -56 H? Wi 2% Wi I: 52 I 3 42 WW m Joseph A. Crowley Patented Dec. 26, 1950 TMINI ATURE "BOWLING Joseph .A. Crowley, North Arlington, TN. 3., as signer to Glover, lnenrpurated-Jerseydlity, 1., a nomination of New J craggy Application January 27, 1941, .SerialNo. 725,585

2 .Claims. (Cl. 3213-;39)

This invention relates to novel and useful aim provements in games particulany those simulating standard size bowling alleys.

. The main purpose of this invention :is to provide a device conducive of pleasure and seminar merit to people in all walks of li teand particularly those interested in bowling.

"A further object of this invention is to provide means for receiving and directing a simulated bowling ball in the general direction of miniature pins.

A further object of this invention .is zto pronide novel and improved baffle or guide means for elevating said simulated bowling ball.

Another obiect of this intention is to provide an improved back-stop means adapted to are strict the travel of said ball and of said pins.

A further object of this invention is to provide a track means adjacent the edge or end of said pin and ball travel and the alley "floor.

Other objects and features of novelty as well as those mentioned hereinaboue, will become apparent to those skilled in the art, in following the description of the preferred embodimerits of the instant invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure '1 is a longitudinal sectional "view of the preferred embodiment of the instant invention showing the travel of apluralityjof bowling balls therein;

Figure 2 is a broken plan view of the invention disclosed in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View of the invention disclosed in Figure l and taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional, view of a detail of construction shown in Figure 1 and taken substantially on the line 4-4 thereof and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the invention disclosed in Figure l, and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of a second embodiment of the instant invention.

Referring now in detail to the i, illustrated preferred embodiment of the instant invention, like reference characters are usedthroughout to indicate similar elements.

A substantially rectangular housing I0 is composed of any suitable material such as metal, paper products, wood and the like and is generally indicated by the reference nurri'eral H). An aperture I2 is provided in the front. wall [4 of said housing and is adapted to receive simulated bowling balls 16 therein. The said bowling balls may be thrown or otherwise projected through said aperture I2. It is noted that the lower por tion 18 of the said wall :14 is in-curved forming a funnel-like entrance for "the said bowling balls. A suitable clamp '20 may be secured to the curved portion lfi tor securing the said iii-curred portion securely tothe walls 22 and 124 of 'thesaiid housing 40. A ram-p "26 provided as an ex tension of the base 28 of said housing. it is noted from an inspection of Figures 1 and! that the said ramp extends outwardly of said housing and has a bevelled portion 30 at the end thereof. It is apparent that "the invention may "be placed on a table, floor or some other suitable stand, the ball rolled on said table climbing .sa'id Lbevelled portion and continuing up the ramp 126. secured to the said base and wall :14 is an S shaped ballle means or chute generally indicated at 32. "The said chute 32 is composed of two 'bailles '34 and 35. The said baffle 138 arcuate and has one end thereof secured by some :sui't+ able means to the base 28. 'Bafile 36 as well as the baffle 34 is simply a simple plate of a suitable material having :the desired configuration. The second bafile .34 is somewhat similar to "the said baffle '38 and is disposed partially thereover and assumes a similar configuration. It is noted that when the baffles are viewed as a unit they assume the general shape of an S with the larger arcualte portion on the bottom and the smaller 'arcuate portion at the top thereof. It is readily apparent from an inspection of Figure 1 that the bowling balls 16 will issue from the end of the said chute in substantially the same general direction as they are received in said chute. Further, it is noted that upon issuing from the chute the balls are elevated with respect to the entrance position.

Adjacent the entrance point of the baflle 36 is a pair of guides 38 and 40 which receive and direct the bowling balls to said bafile from the said ramp 2B.

Suitable sides 42 and .44 assuming the same general shape as the chute are provided at the marginal edges of said :chute and are adapted to restrict and retain the-bowling balls therein. The sides 42 and 44 may be omitted and the side walls 22 and 24 used as the restricting means. It is further noted that the base portion 28 may be omitted if so desired; since this member is used simply to close thehousing thereby forming a substantially closed structure.

If so desired, a portion v 48 may be secured to the sides 42 and 44 thereby forming a guide plate. It is noted that this guide plate 48 is provided to retain bowling balls 16 in the prescribed course if they are not started with sufiicient initial force to complete the entire circuit.

Reinforcing members 50 and 52 are provided on the back wall 54 in order to lend rigidity to the housing. A step 56 is provided transversely of said housing In and rests on the said support 52. A strip 58 is provided at the upper portion of said back wall '3 and has an upholstered'backstop swingably mounted therefrom. The said back-stop, indicated at 69, may be mounted by any conventional swinging means such as the screws and eyes generally indicated at 62. A reinforcing strip or block 64 is secured adjacent the said step 56 and may be received in the said side walls 22 and 24. This block forms a bearingsurface for the terminal or end portion of a simulated bOWllIlg alley floor 96. Gutters 68 ar provided adjacent the edges of the said floor 56 simulating the gutters of a conventional full-scale bowling alley. It is noted that by the construction of the step 56 a trap is provided adjacent the terminal portion of the said floor 65 which is quite similar to the trap at the terminal portion of a conventional full size bowling alley. Pins 79 are provided in the usual manner at the said terminal portion of the said alley 66 and are obviously adapted to be struck by the balls H5 in the operation of the game. It is noted that the sides 22 and 24 have upwardly extending ends 72 i simulating the protector plates found between conventional full scale bowling alleys.

The operation of the invention is deemed quite obvious. A ball is is thrown into the aperture 42, being elevated on the ramp 26 and is guided into the chute 32 by means of the said guides 38 and 40. After taking an S-turn and being elevated to the floor 65, the ball then strikes certain of the pins or rides down either of the gutters 68. Thereupon, the ball and pins (if any are struck) are limited in travel by striking the swingingly mounted back-sto 6B. The balls and pins are retained in the trap defined'by the step 58 cooperating with a portion of the back wall 54 and the sides of the housing along with the stepped portion 6%. It is noted that by this preferred construction, the operator may view the travel of his bowling ball from the back end thereof just as a bowler does in a full scale bowling alley.

Referring now to Figure 6, a second embodiment of the present inventive concept is disclosed. A suitable housing generally indicated'at 89,-is provided quite similar to the housing is. An aperture 82 is provided in the front wall thereof adapted to receive balls I6 therein which ride up an inclined ramp 84. A suitable chute 86 is provided near the uppermost portion of the said ramp and is adapted to receive the balls 16 and direct them to the floor 88. The said chute 86 has a hairpin turn therein and is adapted to direct the balls substantially in a direction opposite to the entrance direction. Pins may be provided at the terminal portion of said floor 88 and a suitable tra 90 similar to the trap defined at 56, may be provided therein. The swinging backstop may be utilized in this second embodiment of the instant invention if so desired.

Having thus defined the instant invention what is claimed as novel and improved is as follows:

1. A miniature bowling alley comprising a. housing having front and back walls, said front wall having an, opening therein at the bottom thereof, a ramp forming a portion of the base of the housing and projecting through said opening, a substantially S-shaped chute having an inlet portion communicating with said ramp, the inlet portion of said'chute being partially opened, a top on a portion of said chute, said chute having an outlet, a top in said housing forming a bowling alley floor and having ends, the first end of said floor being positioned adjacent the chute outlet, the .opposite end of said floor terminating adjacent but spaced from the housing back wall, a back stop'swingingly mounted at its upper end to said last mentioned wall, a trap connecting said last mentioned wall and the same end of said floor.

2. The combination of claim 1 and said 8- shaped chute having its lower arcuate portion of a relatively larger radius than its upper arcuate portion.

- JOSEPH A. CROWLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 721,544 Crandall Feb. 24, 1903 738,558 Maddaus Sept. 8, 1903 1,487,137 Apostolski Mar. 18, 1924 1,557,176 Loewenbach Oct. 13, 1925 2,014,899 Kroker Sept. 17, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 686,753 Germany Jan. 15, 1940 

